


A Deal with the Devil

by KnightOn



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Blood, Broken Bones, Brotherhood, Choking, Crying, Desperation, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Injury, Leo makes a deal with Shredder, Lots of Crying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-24 09:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1600613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnightOn/pseuds/KnightOn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonardo makes a deal with the Shredder. Not everything goes as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

This was it. The battle was over. Shredder was standing with one foot on Donatello's shell, cracking it with the force of his weight, holding Raphel by his throat against a wall. And Leonardo held Mikey, out cold in his arms.

"Your options are limited, turtle." Shredder hissed, tightening his grip, "I have given you your choices. Choose. Now."

Leonardo's chest heaved. This was a trap. He knew it. Shredder would never let them go free, no matter what he said. He pulled Mikey closer, furrowing his brow in anger. Silence hung in the cold New York air.

"Leo..." Raphael choked out, "Don't do it. Get out of here-" The pressure was too much. Raphael lowered his hands, clasped around Shredder's arm, and fell unconscious.

"Stop!" Leonardo shouted, standing with Mikey still in his arms. "Stop...please, I...I'll go with you. Just leave them alone. Please." He never thought he'd be begging to Shredder. But he didn't have a choice. Shredder's eyes smiled deviously and he let Raphael fall harshly to the ground.

"Excellent choice. Now come." He turned to leave.

Leonardo took his time. He set Mikey down slowly, gently. He was semi-conscious. "Mikey...don't come looking for me." He pushed the words out with difficulty. "Please, just...be safe. I-"

" _Now_ , turtle." Shredder urged. Leonardo shot him a look.

"I just want to say goodbye!" He shouted, rage and fear mixing in his words. Shredder was on him in seconds, daggers pressed to his throat.

"You do not get to make decisions any longer. You are _my_ soldier now, and you obey _my_ rules! Now _on your feet_!" Shredder let the words sting as he left a thin bloodied line up along Leonardo's throat.

He waited for him to back away to writhe. Leonardo pressed his hand firm against his neck and rolled on to his knees. He stood on shaky legs. I didn't even _hurt_ , really. He was just afraid.

Leonardo took heavy steps towards the Shredder, who waited for him on the edge of the rooftop. He stole a glance at his brothers, broken and wounded and the ground, cracked shells and damaged masks and bleeding wounds.

Tears formed at the corner of his eyes and he wiped them away. There was no use showing emotion anymore. Not anymore.

\---

It was Slash who found them first. He was patrolling when he picked up Raph's scent, an animal instinct of his, a fatherly bond of sorts. When he found their tattered forms he dashed towards Raphael immediately, sniffing him like a worried dog, nudging him in the arm.

Raphael's eyes fluttered open. "Spike...?" He wheezed.

"Raphael, what happened here?" Slash's voice was gruff, yet somehow sincere. He picked Raphael up and he groaned, clutching at his throat.

"I...where's Leo...?" Slash carried Raphael and picked up the still unconscious Donatello, tossing him gently over his shoulder. He went for Mikey, with a brownish-red bump on his head, and carried him in his free arm.

"Let me bring you guy's home."

"No...no, Leo, where's..." Raph muttered, trying to pull away. Slash frowned deeply.

"I don't know, brother. But you can't go lookin' for him like this. I'm sure he's ok."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hamato Leonardo. Step forward." Shredder stood on the far end of his lair. He waited for Leonardo to obey, who stood on the other side, near the door.

He wanted to disobey, to spit back at him, but he couldn't. Stripped of his weapons and Foot soldiers scattered everywhere, he had no choice. He made careful strides, back straight, head held high.

He stared straight through the eyes of his enemy, and could see that same devious smile forming.

Without warning, Shredder's claw-like daggers extended and slashed through Leonardo's mask, severing it. The pain was white hot and sudden and Leonardo couldn't help himself from falling to his knees in anguish, scraping his fingers down his face.

He let his eyes open and saw his mask in two in front of him, blood seeping in to the fabric.

-

_"Watcha' doing, Sensei?" The little blue-eyed turtle asked, fingers in his mouth, watching his beloved father-sensei work._

_"I am crafting something for you and your brothers. Do not chew your fingers, Leonardo."_

_"What is it? You can tell me! I'll keep it a secret." Splinter turned to his son, smiling gently at his large blue eyes._

_"A mask for each of you, to empower and protect you in battle. As long as you have this," He explained, gratefully showing Leonardo the clean blue fabric, "I will be with you while you fight, and so will your brothers."_

_Leonardo smiled wide. "Come, my son." Splinter said, patting the empty space in front of him. Leonardo jumped in to his seat. Splinter fashioned the mask around his son's head. When he finished, Leonardo spun around to face him._

_"How do I look?" He asked, eagerness in his voice. Splinter smiled._

_"Like a true warrior, my son."_

-

Leonardo let his hands drop and reached for his tattered mask - only to have his hand crushed by Shredder's foot. He couldn't stop a pained noise from escaping his throat.

"You are no longer his son. But you never were, now, were you? Just a pet, a mindless turtle, wallowing in his own _filth_. Just like Splinter. Just an _animal_."

"Don't...say that...it isn't true..." He gasped. Blood dripped in to his eyes, coloring his vision in red. He found it appropropriate. A crack echoed the hall and pain shattered in Leonardo's hand. Shredder pulled away slowly. He chuckled.

"Bring him to his quarters. Let him rest. For now." Shredder turned away, cape billowing behind. The last thing Leonardo felt was rough hands pulling him away.

\---

Leonardo awoke in a hammock, suspended from two hooks on opposite walls. He studied the room. It was the farthest thing from a prison cell, which offered only mild comfort. the room was small with no windows and a Shōji door the only exit. A basin and mirror were the only other pieces of furniture that decorated the room. But it was warm and too comfortable for him.

Leonardo eased himself in to a sitting position, hissing at the pain in his hand. He brought it to his face and _wished_ he hadn't. The fingers were mangled and he couldn't move them correctly. The bones were cracked and broken. Only Donnie really knew about their anatomy. His lack of knowledge worried him. What if he could never use his hand again?

He got up and limped over to the mirror. The slash Shredder left on his face had stopped bleeding, but was clearly becoming irritated and scabbed. Dried blood splattered his face and hands as well.

Leonardo breathed and rubbed his hands in the basin of water. But the blood wouldn't shed. He scraped his hands, sending fresh pain shooting in to his arm, but still nothing gave.

He gave up. Leonardo slammed his hands in to the water, scattering it everywhere. His breathing became ragged. He would die here. _He would die here_.

"Hey!" Someone shouted from outside his room, banging on the door, "Who's in there? This is my room!"

Leonardo jumped. It was Karai. Why would they put him in Karai's room?

"Why is this locked - I'm coming in!" She roared, and the door swung open with ease. Her expression softened when she saw who it was. "Leo...?"

Leonardo was a sorry sight, his knees bent in and his face and hands bloodied, no weapons or mask. He looked as though he might start crying.

"Karai, I -" Karai pulled the door shut and locked it from the inside. She pushed Leonardo down on the floor - gentle, however - and while he sat speechless she rummaged through the cabinet underneath the basin. She pulled out a cloth and rubbing alcohol and prepared the cloth. She knelt in front of Leo and took his face in one hand. He flinched but couldn't get away. She rubbed away at the blood and grime that had accumulated in the wound. Leo hissed in pain. When she pulled back she took a medical kit out from the cabinet as well and took his broken hand in her delicate fingers.

Leo watched her work, placing cotton balls in between his fingers, a splint under his hand. She wrapped white gauze around his broken bones, pulling here and there to tighten the fabric.

Leonardo gazed at her handiwork. She took a clean cloth and rubbed the blood away from his unbroken hand.

"What are you _doing_ here, Leo." She said, refusing to pose it as a question to avoid any sympathy in her voice.

"Shredder attacked us, he...he would've killed my brothers if I hadn't -" Karai stopped, stared him down.

"You shouldn't have agreed. You'll die here, Leo; and when you do, he'll go after your brothers. There's no point. You couldn't have thought that you could win."

"I didn't." He admitted. "But he was gonna kill Raph, break Donnie, and when I said yes he let them go..." Leo averted his eyes. "If their safety means my death...then so be it. I don't care."

"You shouldn't have come here!" She shouted, pulling him up off the floor. "You could've fought! Or run! You didn't have to be marked like this! Now you'll never leave and they'll _never_ find you!"

"I told them not to look for me!" He screamed back. "I don't want them here! I took the fall for them so I could save them!"

"Quit playing the martyr, Leo!"

"I'm just doing what's right!"

"Shut up!" Karai struck him and Leonardo fell to the floor, shuddering. "You're so stupid! Do you think dying in battle is a good thing?! I don't care if it is for your honor! You're gonna get yourself killed! Do you even realize how many people love you?! How many people would hate to see you...to see you -"

Karai stopped screaming. Leo writhed beneath her, sniveling and moaning. "Leonardo...?"

He turned towards her, brow furrowed, tears finally spilling from his eyes. His breath hitched in his chest.

"I act tough, Karai. For my brothers. But right now...I'm _terrified_. I know he's trying to break me and I can't let him know...that it's actually working." Karai's shoulders relaxed. She stooped down in front of him and braced his shoulders. He refused to make any more noise but silent tears still rained on his face.

"Leo, listen to me." He rubbed at his eyes. "I'm not gonna let you die here. I'm going to get you out. And I'm coming with you."


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey old man!" Slash called out in to the empty lair, placing Donnie and Mikey on the couch and shifting Raph in to his arms. Splinter appeared immediately, wary of the voice; but lowered his guard when he saw his sons broken and laying on the couch. Raph had blacked out again.

Splinter dropped his cane.

"What. Happened." His voice was rigid as he approached Slash. "And who are you to enter our lair?"

"I'm Spike, Raph's old pet? Got mutated? Ravaged the city a bit?" He shifted Raphael in his arms. "I was patrolling and I found them passed out on a rooftop. Looks like they had a pretty rough fight."

Splinter's usually calm composure fractured. He and Slash kneeled on the ground right there, Slash refusing to release his cradle on Raph. Raphael awoke with a low moan, his eyes rolling open.

"Sensei...?" Slash lowered Raphael to the ground, supporting his head, Raph's fingers wrapped around his large hand. "Where are we...?"

"You are safe, my son. Can you remember what happened?" He asked, voice faint, cradling his son's cheek. Raphel shut his eyes.

"I...I don't know, I think - " He sat up, pained. "- W-Where is Leo? Where is he?" He asked, becoming more and more worried. He attempted to push his way through Splinter, who held him back with a gentle hand on his chest.

He scanned his son's body for any telling marks - and found a bruised ring around his throat.

"Raphael..." He urged, ghosting his fingers over the bruise, "Who did this to you?"

"I think...I remember someone...steely eyes, and Leo was screaming, I..." Raph pressed his hand to his head. "I think someone knocked the air right outta me..."

"Do not force yourself. Rest, my son." He nodded to Slash who heaved Raph back up and carried him to his bedroom.

Splinter went to Donatello's side next, pressing his shoulder. He couldn't keep his eyes off the crack in his shell. The dirt from a man's shoe, though mostly brushed off, was still visible.

"Donatello, are you alright?" Donatello moaned awake, shifting himself on to his back.

"Oh, hey Sensei..." He said, straightening himself. "Is everything ok?"

"Donatello, can you remember anything that happened? The three of you are all damaged. Leonardo did not come back with you."

"Sensei..." His breath hitched as his back pressed up against the couch. "You know, I think I...might remember something."

"Take your time, Donatello."

"Ok, let me think...the last thing I remember is being...stepped on, eugh. But who were we fighting...?"

"Shredder." Came a voice on the other side of the couch. Splinter and Donnie looked up. It was Mikey. His voice was pained and unusually quiet.

"The Shredder-?!" Splinter uttered. Mikey had sat up and was looking down with sorrowful eyes.

"Yeah, it was Shredder alright...he kicked all our butts. Knocked me out, broke Donnie's shell, strangled Raph..." His eyes grew wide and tears began to fall. "But Leo...he saved us. Shredder would've killed us if it wasn't for him..." Mikey's shoulders jumped and his breath hitched. The tears flowed like a storm.

"And I...I couldn't help him!" He shouted, tightening his hands in to fists. "I was too weak, and now he's with the Shredder...he gave his freedom and - and maybe his life for us...but I don't deserve it!"

Splinter got up from his place next to Donnie and wrapped his arms around Mikey's heaving form. He pulled him close and let Mikey grab him, let him burrow his head in his chest.

"It's going to be alright, Michelangelo..." He shushed, rocking his 'youngest' son back and forth, as if he were a child again. "We're going to find him, it's alright..."

"N-No, we can't...he-he said not t-to come after him...Shredder broke our tPhones, I-"

"Mikey." Donnie breathed, refusing to fall victim to the heavy grief that hung in the room. "I'm gonna find him. _We're_ gonna find him. Even if it takes a million years, we'll get him back." Mikey looked over at him. He was always so sensitive when it came to sadness. Donnie offered him a smile.

\---


	4. Chapter 4

Leonardo was thrown across the dojo in one swift movement. His back slammed in to the wall and cracked the drywall.

"Fight me, you coward!" Shredder roared. He dashed for Leo who rolled out of the way at the last second. His knees were bloodied and scrapped, his body bruised. And with one hand completely out of commission, he couldn't fight back.

He had even been given weapons, similar to his own, but it didn't help. The katana were already broken and shattered. Shredder's own weapons were still in tact and glinting. Foot soldiers had crowded in to the dojo and were cheering their master on.

Leo heaved in heavy breaths, wiping blood from his mouth. He stood on buckling legs and raised his fists.

Shredder came rushing at him, swinging for his head. Leo blocked but couldn't hold him off. With his intact hand occupied, Shredder grabbed the broken one and twisted it.

Leo screamed in agony. Shredder threw him again, with more force than before, and a splintering noise reverberated against the walls. The cheers continued. Shredder stepped slowly towards Leonardo, who lay quivering on the floor.

He tried to push himself up off the floor but couldn't support his own weight. He fell again. Without any other option, Leonardo buried his head in the floor and shielded himself with his sound hand. Shredder only chuckled.

"Pathetic." He spat. "I thought you were the leader. Impossible to think that your brothers ever trusted you with their lives. And what of your poor father...he would be ashamed of you."

Leonardo looked up at him, a ghostly shadow of a man. He spat blood at his feet. His only defiance.

Shredder kicked him in the mouth back, splitting his lip. He signaled for his soldiers to ease their shouts of encouragement.

"Leave him. Give him no help." The soldiers filed out of the dojo. When it was empty, Shredder kneeled and grabbed Leonardo by the chin. "Understand this, turtle. You are in my hands now. And this is how you are going to learn. I'm going to break you and make you in to the perfect soldier. Either that, or your brothers and your master will suffer." He dropped his head and left the dojo like a fleeting wind.

He _was_ suffering. He was trying to be brave, trying to fight back, but he was loosing the battle. This was only his third day under Shredder's reign, and he wanted to quit, just let him win.

But if he gave in now...he would disappoint his loved ones.

Leo shook his head clear and pulled himself up. He spat on the floor again, ridding his mouth of the coppery taste. A pain ravaged his back, so he reached his hand behind his back and probed the area. He found a long crack in his shell. He didn't know what to do about that. Grabbing the walls for support, Leonardo limped out of the dojo and down the halls.

A guard met him at the end of the hall and escorted him to 'his' room. He was pushed inside and the guard shut the door, locking him inside.

The shadow of the guard passed and Leo collapsed on the floor, breaths dragged out and ragged. He let the darkness encase him and he was out cold in minutes.

\---

The door slid open and Leo threw himself up on his feet. It was Karai, smiling at him. "Hey, sleeping beauty. I brought some stuff for you." He breathed a sigh of relief and perched himself on the hammock.

"What time is it?" He asked, voice hoarse. Karai dropped her messenger bag on the floor and began rooting through it.

"About ten, maybe eleven..." She pulled a tube of epoxy and some strips of fiberglass out of her bag. "Heard about the fight with my dad...sorry about that. Can I see?" Leo smiled smally and shifted off the hammock. He sat on the floor facing towards the door.

"I know he can be brutal. It wasn't much different for me growing up. Well, maybe a few less cracked turtle shells and broken hands, but, y'know what I mean." She kept smiling through the whole thing. Leonardo remained silent.

"Listen, Leo...I know this is hard, but you're doing really well. There have been other soldiers before you that cracked under his pressure."

"I don't want to be a Foot soldier, Karai. I want to show him he can't mold me like the others." They sat in silence while she repaired the crack. When she finished, she ran her hand down the repairs.

"I...saw your brothers today." Leonardo started. "I didn't go near them. I have escorts around the city now. I haven't been able to shake them yet." She thought about the encounter. "Actually, I only saw two of your brothers."

"Which two?" He asked, impatient for the answer.

"I think it was Donatello and Michelangelo."

"What about Raph?" Karai shrugged.

"Didn't see him." "That's...that's not like him. If he could see me now, he'd be at Shredder's throat in a second." Karai moved to face Leo and sat with him on the floor. He started to chuckle. "Oh man, Raph...if I ever go home with this mark on my head, I'll never hear the end of it. He'd hound every one who even looked at me the wrong way. Can't imagine what the guys would think..." Karai couldn't help but smile either. She touched his jaw.

"What about your teeth? Loose any?"

"Nah. It wasn't that bad."

"Really? 'Cause you look like shit, Leo."

"Oh, you're too kind." He said, pushing her away. They laughed together, quietly in case any patrols heard them.

"Hey, Karai..." Leo began, shifting his eyes around the small room, "You're really making this whole thing easier for me. I mean, it still sucks, but when you drop by and patch me back up, I feel like maybe I can wake up tomorrow and keep fighting. So...thanks. For that." Karai smiled at him.

"Wow, Leo...you are such a sap!" She joked, punching his shoulder. Leonardo recoiled a touch but wasn't harmed.

"And look, I know this whole Splinter/Shredder thing is confusing for you, but -" Leo took her hands in his still intact one, "I promise, if - when we get out of here, I think I have something that'll change your mind."

Karai smirked. "Whatever you say, turtle." She snorted. She stood to leave. "Get some rest, loverboy." Leonardo shook his head and smiled. He felt more content. Until the door locked from the outside, and the silence overtook him.


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't say another word, Mikey."

"But I'm still right, no matter what you say."

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" Donnie's words were accusatory as he spun around to face Mikey. "It's been _five days_ , Mikey. We haven't been looking for that long." Michelangelo only shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want to come back anyway. Why would we bother looking when he doesn't wanna be found?" He crossed his arms. He wasn't budging.

"Hold on, Mikey - what _is_ wrong with you? You haven't been the same since Leo went missing. I thought you outta all of us would want to get him back. What's with the despair?"

"Just feels right."

"Well, it's not helping any of us, alright? You gotta hold on. For Leo." Donnie's eyes cast sideways. "For Splinter." Mikey's shoulders dropped.

"I just...everything is so wrong, man. This was never supposed to happen. I just...don't feel like being 'cheery Mikey' right now, ok?"

"Mikey..."

A shadow dropped down on their rooftop. "Anything?" Raphael asked, approaching the uneasy brothers. Donatello gulped as he came forward, unable to ignore the barely healing bruise around his throat. He shook his head.

"No, still nothing." Raph sighed.

"Should we call it quits for tonight?"

"Let's just check in with April and Casey first." Donnie said, flipping out his tPhone and backing away to the roof's edge. Raph relaxed his position.

"You gonna be okay, Mike?" He asked with a grin, crossing his arms. Mikey wasn't up for it. He shook his head.

"I'm loosing it, Raph..." He said, rubbing at his eyes.

"Hey," Raph said, swinging his arm over his brother's shoulders, "It's gonna be fine. We'll bring him home."

"And if we don't? What if Shredder...?"

"Hey, don't talk like that, man." Raph urged, pulling him closer. "We will, but not with convincing ourselves we won't. Leo's a fighter, remember? If he won't give up, then neither will we." Mikey smiled.

Donatello rushed towards them. "Guys," He said, breathless, "They spotted something."

\---

With every day that passed, Leonardo felt like he might not make it to the next. He was moved frequently, to throw off anyone who might be on his trail, but it was hard to move. Bruises didn't leave, wounds never healed.

He was moved underground, primarily. But on the fifth day they needed to take a van a couple of blocks down, where the tunnels didn't reach. And for the first time in what felt like years, Leonardo was let out in to the air.

They took back alleys - him, escorted by four Foot - to the drop-off point. They disguised him in a large hoodie and baggy pants, in case one of his brothers caught sight of him. He was directed where to go as well. So really, he just looked like a shady young man combing New York alleyways.

Part of him wished his brothers would find him - but the other half knew full well what would happen if they did. So he huddled close to himself, pulled the hood down far, touching the scar on his forehead, scratchy with the skin parted. The soldiers moved left. They couldn't be far.

Leo pondered if his life would remain this way, or if Shredder would kill him when he realized he couldn't use him. A grim thought sat in the back of his mind.

 _You could kill him_ , it urged, much as he tried to push it away, _You could kill the Shredder. It wouldn't be easy, but you could do it. When he's not looking. Just do it_.

As much as he hated The Shredder, it just didn't feel _right_. What would happen if he did? How would his world change? And would it make him any better than the soldier he was being broken in to?

Leonardo sighed, finally understanding the idea of the angel and the devil sitting on one's shoulders.

He didn't have time to think anymore. The van was parked just ahead of him, unassuming to the outside world. It's back doors were swung open and awaiting him. Soldiers coated the area, assuring that even if his brother's attempted a rescue mission, they wouldn't win.

It didn't stop them. Their signature smoke bomb plummeted, covering the area in a purple fog. Leonardo recognized the clang of weapons, the familiar sounds of grunts. A body tumbled towards him.

"Mikey...?" He breathed. His brother jumped up, his eyes unusually dark. He didn't realize it was Leo.

"No way...! Le-" A Foot soldier grabbed Leonardo from behind, an arm pressed to his throat. He kicked his legs about, and as the smoke cleared, all eyes were on him. The soldier whipped out a dagger and jabbed Leonardo in his side. He fell limp immediately.

The brothers held their breath. The small blade stay stuck where it had punctured. Mikey stood his ground, gaping, dropping his weapons so they clanged to the concrete. When the sound struck the remaining soldiers grabbed Leo's brothers, the rest wrestling to keep April and Casey at bay.

Unbearably slow, Leonardo was dragged towards the humming van. Donnie and Raph struggled to free themselves. Mikey reached a limp hand out towards his incapacitated brother.

"No..." He croaked. "No! No!" His voice grew louder, movements more violent, kicking and screaming with tears pooling down his face. "Leo! Leo please wake up! Please! Don't do this!" He shouted, the soldier's tightening their grip with every movement. Mikey stared at his brother as he cried out, taking in every inch. Five days had been more like five years for him. He saw the bandaged hand, the bloodstained fingers, every bump and bruise. And useless as it was, he kept wailing, kept roaring his brother's name, until he was loaded in to the van and ushered away.

And it was over.


End file.
